Racers gear up for World Cup with Super Series

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November 25, 2005

Racers gear up for World Cup with Super Series{mosimage}KEYSTONE, Colo. – A host of Europeans, prepping for the VISA Birds of Prey World Cup Dec. 1-4 at Beaver Creek, will be in the field Monday as alpine men open their Super Series race schedule with the men competing at Keystone in the first of two giant slaloms.

A day later, the women open four days of Super Series racing at Winter Park with two slaloms and then two giant slaloms. The Super Series is the American portion of NorAm races in Canada and the United States, and a stepping stone to the World Cup.

The men’s races will take place on a new racing venue, River Run, according to Walt Evans, the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association’s national competition director who will be chief of competition at Keystone. Also included in the first Super Series event are two men’s slalom races, Nov. 30 and Dec. 1.

“This is extremely exciting for us,” said Roger McCarthy, Keystone’s chief operating officer. “This is one of the largest events that Keystone has hosted in the past few years, and this is the first time we’ve raced on this venue with this caliber of athletes. We’re thrilled to show off our course and resort.”

“I think we’re going to see River Run set up as an outstanding racing venue; it’s got state-of-the-art snowmaking, new timing and everything in place for some great races,” Evans said. “Looking at the registration, with so many top-flight tech skiers heading to Beaver Creek after the Super Series events, we had 39 men with under 10 race points. That’s incredible depth and an amazing opportunity for our young racers.

“Keystone is excited to be with us for the first time in the Super Series and we’re hoping this is the start of a long partnership … a long one like what we have at Winter Park. The women race there every year and it’s such a smooth operation for them. They’re so experienced and Winter Park is so good at it.”

Evans said he expected about 16 nations competing in the men’s races and 10 or more in the women’s events.